Olive-backed Forest Robin - Taxonomy

Taxonomy

All taxa within the genus Stiphrornis were considered part of a single species, S. erythrothorax, until 1999, when it was argued, based on the phylogenetic species concept, that all then-recognized taxa should be considered monotypic species. The split was not followed in Handbook of the Birds of the World, where it was described as "perhaps premature". Comparably, the BirdLife Taxonomic Working Group (and consequently IUCN) recommended not following the split, as differences in plumages are relatively small, genetic sampling was considered incomplete, and evidence for intergradation or parapatry is lacking. Based on mtDNA, S. pyrrholaemus is placed within S. erythrothorax sensu lato, and consequently is considered a species (rather than a subspecies of S. erythrothorax) only if at least some of the taxonomy recommended in 1999 is followed. The genetic divergence between S. pyrrholaemus and other members of the genus is comparable to that between some other closely related species.